Background

Bicycle travel is a healthy and environmentally sustainable mode of transport in urban areas. Safe cycling routes encourage people to travel by bicycle. This is a proposal to create the “Eastern Rail Trail” (ERT) to improve east-west cycle travel through the Cities of Boroondara and Whitehorse in eastern Melbourne.
Boroondara City Council actively supports cycling, as stated on the Council web site:
“The City of Boroondara's is ideally located to enjoy cycling. Situated along the Main Yarra Trail and Yarra Bend Park and boasting good bicycle facilities, Boroondara offers a unique opportunity to enjoy this attractive, healthy and environmentally friendly form of transport and recreation.”

Source: Cycling in Boroondara, Boroondara Council circa 2005

Council is also committed to the implementation of Melbourne’s Principle Bicycle Network (PBN), which includes a mixture of on road cycle lanes and shared cycle paths.
The Victorian Government is also an active proponent of cycling as part of Melbourne’s transport strategy.

“The Victorian Government aims to provide safer travel for pedestrians and cyclists, and to increase the number of people walking and cycling, through improved management of existing road space and the provision of more off-road paths and access.”

History

A detailed proposal for the Eastern Rail Trail was prepared in June 1996 by the Cities of Boroondara and Whitehorse and the Department of Sport and Recreation Victoria. The Eastern Rail Trail was identified and an important link in the Principle Bicycle Network for Melbourne. It was specified as one of the four radial routes identified by the State Bicycle Committee to link the outer suburbs with the City. Unfortunately, this proposal has not been implemented to date.

Good shared bicycle paths are now available along the Gardiner’s Creek and the Eastern Freeway, both of which now connect with the Main Yarra Trail. While these paths are heavily used for both recreational and commuting purposes, they tend to follow major creek routes and do not service large sections of the inner eastern suburbs corridor well for travel in east-west directions.

Considerable progress has been made over recent years on implementing both on road lanes (such as Union, Balwyn, Mont Albert and Kilby Roads) as well as marking of wide left lanes (such as sections of Riversdale Road).

However, there is a lack of direct east-west “bicycle friendly” routes through the City of Boroondara to central Melbourne. The routes with wide left lanes such as Riversdale, Barkers and Burwood Roads frequently carry very heavy traffic, with narrow points at traffic light controlled intersections and many tram stops. These narrow points are very intimidating to casual cyclists and are a major deterrent to them making cycle trips along these routes.

The opportunity

The Eastern Rail Trail will provide a bicycle path shared between cyclists and pedestrians (but not motor vehicles), that will provide an excellent opportunity for cyclists to travel through the City of Boroondara to connect with the Main Yarra Trail and the bicycle route along Bridge Road.

Users of this trail could include:

Cyclists commuting to and from the City of Melbourne during weekdays

Recreational cycling on weekends and during evenings – including visits to the growing local café and shopping areas such as the Glenferrie Road, Camberwell Junction, Maling Road and Union Road strips. This has significant potential to boost local tourism by connecting with Melbourne’s existing heavily used bicycle paths along the Yarra River.

Shorter daytime bicycle and pedestrian trips by residents to local shopping areas along the trail including Glenferrie, Auburn, Canterbury/Mailing Road, Surrey Hills, and Hawthorn

The path should accomodate both pedestrians and cyclists.

Students attending local schools such as Camberwell High School, Strathcona, Fintona, Carey and several primary schools.

Additional advantages

Some additional advantages of the Eastern Rail Trail are:

Cyclists would have a fast and efficient alternative route to Whitehorse Road (Tram 109), Barkers, Burwood, and Riversdale Roads, which would improve the flow of traffic and trams.

Increased cycle trips and a reduction in car trips would significantly reduce both traffic congestion and associated air pollution.

Route Overview

The suggested route follows the Box Hill railway line from Surrey Hills station over the Yarra River to the Main Yarra Trail and Swan Street. Most of the route can be situated on or next to the railway easement, which will offer unimpeded and enjoyable cycling.
This proposal focusses on the section of the railway line between Mont Albert/Surrey Hills and the Yarra River.

Figure 1: Route overview - Surrey Hills to Yarra River

There is also an excellent opportunity to extend the Eastern Rail Trail connection further east along the Lilydale line through Box Hill out to Mitcham and beyond. Some good sections of cycle track currently exist along sections of this line, but they currently do not integrate or connect well with good cycle routes through Boroondara.

Figure 2: Route overview - Nunawading to Surrey Hills

Route integration with Principle Bicycle Network

The Principle Bicycle Network provides a master plan for improving cycling amenity in Melbourne. Currently there are only wide left lane cycle routes travelling east west through the City of Boroondara (designated by red routes in the above map). The off road paths (green routes) along the Outer Circle Trail, the Eastern Freeway and Gardiners Creek to do not provide direct travel to and from the city from suburbs such as Mont Albert, Balwyn, Hawthorn, Surrey Hills, Camberwell and Canterbury.

Figure 3: Integration with Principle Bicycle Network

The proposed Eastern Rail Trail (dashed blue line) will complement all these PBN routes by providing more direct east-west cycle travel through the City of Boroondara.

Camberwell Station - an immediate concern

In Camberwell, the path would be best positioned along the south side of the railway line below the existing pedestrian footway, under Stanhope Grove bridge and along the embankment on a platform. At Camberwell Station, the path would be best routed through where the railway holding yards currently are, under Burke Road via a tunnel and up onto Auburn Parade, to continue on the South Side of the railway.

There is then sufficient space on the railway easement and provision on all existing rail bridges over roads to accommodate an elevated path all the way to Hawthorn Station.
Boroondara Council are requested to make allowance for this path during the planning for the redevelopment of the Camberwell Station area. If it is not accommodated during redevelopment then this opportunity will be lost.

Detailed route

Details for the suggested route location are provided in the following sections.

Box Hill to Mont Albert

The unused rail easment next to platform 1 at Box Hill Centrail station could be used for cycle transit under Box Hill Central. There is currently no safe or convenient bicycle route through the Box Hill Central area.

The bridge over Elgar Road is necessary to maintain the trail grade and transit over the very busy Elgar road without disruption to traffic.

The path can transit Mont Albert Station car park. The railway easement narrows at this point.

Mont Albert to Surrey Hills

The path can transit Surrey Hills station car park. The railway easement narrows at this point.

The easiest option is to cross Union Road at the level crossing. When grade separation is provided at this crossing, the trail should be seperated from the road.

Surrey Hills to Chatham

Alternate route marked along railway easement may be feasible, but it narrows near Chatham railway station.

AP = Access Point

Chatham to Canterbury

Bridge over Canterbury Road is urgently required to provide alternate route for cyclists who currently have to cross Canterbury Road and are not permitted to use the footpaths near the pedestrian lights. This is a very dangerous region for cyclists due to heavy traffic and restricted road space. This bridge would also provide improved amenity for pedestrians wishing to cross Canterbury Road – steps for pedestrians could be added on either side.

Elevated cycle path past Canterbury station above the existing car park to minimise impact on car parking and pedestrian access to the station.

Canterbury to East Camberwell

Bridge over Myrtle Road to prevent disruption to car traffic.

Connection to Outer Circle Trail required.

East Camberwell to Camberwell

Cantilevered path to follow new route along south side of railway embankment below the existing foot path (which is pedestrian only)

Path to go under Stanhope Grove road bridge through existing opening under bridge.

Path continues along route below the existing foot path.

This section of the cycle path is for cyclists only as pedestrians have an alternate route.

Hawthorn to Yarra

Yarra to Swan Street

Cycle path follows railway easement

Connection with Swan Street Required

Suggested phases for development

The Eastern Rail trail route lends itself well to phased developments. Provision of selected sections of the trail will provide early benefits to local users. Eventual completion of the trail will provide benefits to commuters and cycle tourists.

First phase developments

Camberwell Station

Surrey Hills to Chatham

Glenferrie to Power Street

Canterbury to East Camberwell

Second phase developments

Chatham to Canterbury

East Camberwell to Camberwell

Camberwell to Auburn

Auburn to Glenferrie

Third phase developments

Hawthorn

Hawthorn to Yarra

Yarra to Swan Street

Stakeholders

The stakeholders identified for this project have been identified:

Cr Dick Menting, Boroondara Councillor, Maling Ward - Support

Robert Clark MP, Member for Box Hill - Support

Bob Stensholt MP, Member for Burwood - Support

Ted Bailleu MP, Member for Hawthorn - to be advised

Andrew MacIntosh MP, Member for Kew - To be advised

Petro Georgiou MP, Member for Kooyong - To be advised

John Sutton, Victrack - To be advised

Sean Pinan, Bicycle Victoria - Support

Tim Pallas MP, Department of Transport - Minister for Roads and Ports - To be advised